Children's Program Advocate

Job Title: Children's Advocate
Reports to: Children's Program Manager
Department: Children's Program
Job Classification: Advocate
FLSA Status: Regular Full-Time, Exempt
Wage: $25.00 - $28.58 per hour
Benefits Included: Group Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance, HRA, Paid Time Off, Paid Sick Leave, Paid Holidays, 401k

Application Instructions:

• To be considered, applicants must email a resume and cover letter to bbaker@ywcapiercecounty.org.
• Please include "Children's Program Advocate" in the subject of your message.
• Applications submitted by any other method will not be considered.

Organizational Overview
 Established in Tacoma in 1906, YWCA Pierce County has devoted over a century to creating opportunities and ensuring safety for adults and children in the greater Tacoma community. As a pioneer in the domestic violence service field, YWCA Pierce County opened Washington State’s first emergency shelter for domestic violence survivors in 1976. This milestone established YWCA Pierce County as a leader in providing comprehensive support services for domestic violence survivors.
 As an inclusive non-profit organization, YWCA Pierce County offers crucial assistance to domestic violence survivors and their children. Our services are accessible to all survivors, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, religion, or sexual orientation. To overcome language barriers, our bilingual staff and interpretation services ensure smooth transitions for all clients. Annually, YWCA Pierce County supports over 5,000 adults and children affected by domestic violence, providing them with essential resources and support.
 YWCA Pierce County is committed to transforming lives through safety, healing, and empowerment. Our comprehensive domestic violence support services include emergency shelter, legal assistance, support groups, and community education programs. Join us in our mission to end domestic violence and empower survivors in the Tacoma community.
 
Job Summary 
The Children’s Advocate plays a vital role in providing therapeutic care and curriculum-based activities to children[KS1] whose parent or guardian is engaged in YWCA advocacy services. This position works as part of the Children’s Program team to provide comprehensive support to children and families, which includes planning and facilitation of curricula, assisting in the coordination and implementation of special activities and events, and providing family advocacy for families living in shelter and in the community. Additionally, this position is subject to working with children and youth of all ages, depending on program needs. This flexibility ensures that our services can cater to a wide range of age groups, meeting the diverse needs of the families we serve.
 
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Supports the holistic healing, resilience, and developmental growth of children impacted by domestic violence and other trauma.

• Develops, plans, and implements curriculum for children, in collaboration with Children’s Program Manager and other program staff.
• Generates the “Children’s Program Calendar of Events” monthly in collaboration with other Children’s Advocates.
• Maintains a predictable and consistent rhythm in the program as well as expectations, boundaries, and guidelines.
• Plans, prepares, and serves nutritionally sound snacks and meals to children
• Keeps kitchen and program areas clean and orderly
• Supervises groups of children of varying sizes.
• Guides children in learning, practicing, and mastering developmental skills by way of curriculum-based art and recreation activities, peer interaction, and guided free play.
• Coordinates and leads field trips and special events in collaboration with the Children’s Program team.
• Helps children develop their own safety plan and build safety skills.
• Develops and maintains a clean, orderly, developmentally rich, and safe program space.
• Assists children with hygiene, including but not limited to washing hands, toileting, and changing diapers as needed.
• Helps to maintain program supplies and storage areas.
• Models, explains, and upholds Children’s Program rules, policies, and procedures to children and their parents or guardians.
• Adapts to changing program needs and is available to work a flexible schedule, including some evenings, as needed.
• Works closely with program volunteers, including interns, and supports their service.
• Partners with parents in supporting the overall social, emotional, cognitive, and developmental health of their children.
• Provides family advocacy to meet the assessed needs of the children served (intakes, maintains client files, distribution of tangible goods, provides resources and referrals, coordination of services with school liaisons, advocates for children in educational and childcare systems)
• Works with community partner(s) to organize delivery of birthday celebrations for children.
• Ensures documentation of all activities is completed in a thorough manner and turned in to the program manager in a timely fashion. Logs pertinent information for shift.
• Collects, tracks, records, and reports output and outcome data; works with the Children's Program team to complete observations and assessments of children as part of an outcome-based evaluation system
• Participates in agency or community work teams, upon request, including committees, task forces, or event planning.
• Actively participates in weekly Children’s Program meetings, All YWCA staff meetings, and scheduled internal trainings.
• Work collaboratively with the Children’s Program team and other YWCA departments to meet program goals and provide support beyond assigned duties, as needed.
• Provides hotline coverage, working to assist clients through resource sharing, safety planning, and general support.

This is a general description of the responsibilities of the position, and it is not inclusive of all job duties; other associated duties may be assigned. Work situations are varied and require organization and prioritization. Position requires the ability to work independently. Internal contacts include all levels of staff and management. External contacts may include state and local public agencies and community organizations.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Knowledge of the impacts of trauma on human development

• Ability to work from an open-minded, positive, non-judgmental, and empowering foundation
• Ability to work, communicate, and build relationships with diverse groups of people
• Ability to work collaboratively to meet program goals and provide support beyond assigned duties, including support of children and youth of varying ages.
• Ability to form trusting relationships with children and their parent or guardian
• Ability to model, explain, and uphold the rules, policies, and procedures of the YWCA Pierce County
• Ability to role model positive skills and attitudes to children and parents or guardians
• Ability to facilitate and safely supervise groups of children and youth
• Ability to maintain predictable and consistent expectations, boundaries, and guidelines along with confidentiality as appropriate when providing direct services to children
• Ability to manage multiple tasks under pressure
• Ability to work collaboratively and as part of a team effectively with a diverse group of people
• Ability to easily adapt to different situations
• Ability to work a flexible and varied schedule, including evenings and weekends when needed
• Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals
• Ability to write routine reports and correspondence
• Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form
• Ability to apply broad concepts appropriately and consistently to varied situations
• Commitment to YWCA vision, mission, and values
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications

Supervisory Responsibilities

This job has no supervisory responsibilities for staff but may support the roles of volunteers in the program.

 Education and/or Experience

• Demonstrated understanding of child development and impact of trauma on children.

• Associate degree with relevant coursework in childcare, child development or services, and/or social work; OR
• Two years of relevant experience working with children in a related field; OR
• Equivalent combination of education and experience.

Other Qualifications

• Must have the ability to transport self in and around Pierce County. If that includes driving your own vehicle, then must possess a current and valid Washington State Driver’s license and insurance per Washington State Law

• Acceptable criminal history record
• CPR & First Aid Certification or obtained within the first 90 days of employment.
• Food Worker Card or obtained within the first 90 days of employment.
• Completion of required new employee training and onboarding within the first 90 days of employment

Work Environment

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; talk or hear; and taste or smell. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
 The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

 The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate, but can often be loud (multiple children playing, yelling).

Application Instructions:

• To be considered, applicants must email a resume and cover letter to bbaker@ywcapiercecounty.org.
• Please include "Children's Program Advocate" in the subject of your message.
• Applications submitted by any other method will not be considered.